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Michael Wacha has been one of the great stories of this MLB postseason, and the Cardinals may need him to be better than ever if they are to avoid leaving Fenway Park Thursday night in a huge 0-2 World Series ditch.

The 22-year-old rookie right-hander went 4-1 with a 2.78 ERA after getting called up on May 30. But it turned out the 6-foot-6 product of Texas A&M was just getting started.

Here are his playoff outings so far:

— Game 4 of NLDS at Pittsburgh, with the Cardinals trailing two games to one and a loss away from elimination: He had a no-hitter through seven innings, finishing with one run, one hit and two walks allowed plus nine strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings of a 2-1 win.

— Game 2 of the NLCS vs. Dodgers: Went 6 2/3 innings in a 1-0 victory, allowing five hits and one walk with eight Ks to outduel Clayton Kershaw.

— Game 6 of the NLCS vs. Dodgers: Allowed no runs on two hits in seven innings in the clinching win that sent the Cardinals to the World Series, walking one and striking out five.

For Game 2 Thursday night, I’m betting on Michael Wacha to add to his instant legend by giving the Red Sox their first World Series defeat since Game 7 of 1986 (they now have won nine straight) and their first Fall Classic home defeat since Game 4 of ’86 (they have won five straight).

His superb changeup should neutralize the Red Sox’s dangerous lefty bats Jacoby Ellsbury and David Ortiz. In the regular season, he limited opposing lefty hitters to a ridiculous .197/.254/.239 slash line. Though he almost certainly has never pitched in an environment like Fenway in a World Series game, I think he can handle that. After all, this is a guy on whom 18 teams (including the Mets) passed in last year’s draft. He doesn’t let others dictate his narrative.